Atwater Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atwater, California 95301
Saturday, June 18, 1988 8:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL TEST FLIGHT, JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND WENT TO IDLE. THE PILOT MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE PILOT INSPECTED THE ENGINE FINDING NOTHING UNUSUAL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED ANOTHER TAKEOFF TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. JUST AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. THE PILOT MADE A LANDING PERPENDICULAR TO FRESHLY PLOWED ROWS OF SOFT DIRT. THE TAIL COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN FIRST AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 815
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ATWATER
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95301
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ATWATER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 001
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 300
Airport Elevation 145
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1595
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37762
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N249SJ
NTSB Number LAX88DVA08
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SMITH
Aircraft Model MODEL B AVID FLYER
Aircraft Series Identifier MODEL B AV
Aircraft Serial Number 222
Certified Max Gross Weight 850
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 2 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 112
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JEFFREY E. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 253 CINDY DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ATWATER
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --